Zaarito Bumper gamble rolls on

The unbeaten six-year-old dramatically shortened in the betting last week after winning his third bumper at Navan with William Hill taking evasive action and slashing his odds from 10-1 to 4s.

Murphy said: "I should think he deserves to be favourite on his last run, although it is not my money. He cost less than 10,000gn at the sales and looks value now."

The trainer says he is a different physical specimen to Murphy's stable star Brave Inca, the rugged 2006 Champion Hurdle winner.

"The two are like chalk and cheese. Zaarito is more like a Flat horse and still has some filling out to do but he seems to have an engine under the bonnet."

He is likely to be Murphy's only runner at the Festival with Brave Inca still recuperating after suffering a tendon injury in August.

The trainer had held out hopes that he could return at the Punchestown Festival in April but has now shelved the plan.

Murphy added: "That is pretty unlikely now. We'll probably get him half ready and turn him out for summer and then bring him back early next season."

Meanwhile, Paul Barber, joint-owner of Denman, has emphatically backed his horse to emerge on top in his Gold Cup duel with stablemate Kauto Star.

Last year's winner, over his minor injury scare, is slightly favoured by most bookmakers after his victory in the Commercial First Ascot Chase on Saturday, but Barber believes Denman can win.

He said: "If he can produce his best and it is softish ground, I believe he could beat Kauto Star. I think he can win and I think he can win by quite a long way."

Taking on the big two will be a daunting task but Henrietta Knight will field Racing Demon, third to Kauto Star at Ascot.

On that form he has little hope but Katie Clark, the groom leading him around the parade ring, has an inspiring story of beating the odds.

She received the Special Merit prize at the Godolphin-sponsored Stable Employee of the Year awards on Tuesday after emerging from chemotherapy and radiotherapy treatment to twice beat cancer and then the clinical depression brought on by her harrowing treatment.

Overall winner was Sean Travis.

Now with Jeremy Noseda, he had previously worked for Henry Cecil, Jeremy Hindley and Noel Murless.